[Chappers]

Take it you crazy fool  Ive got a third of a plot and a small bit at home about a third of my lotty. fill half with spuds they will keep for ages but you can also grow earlies and lates of whatever you like and wont be restricted by the smaller plot at home.

Paul

[Elcie]

I recently took on a second plot and, when my personal circumstances changed about two weeks later, I thought about handing it back.  However, now I am so happy that I didn't.  It is a slow process but it is getting there and now has 2 sheds, a few compost bins, a pond, a raised bed and lots of blue tarpaulin over it!  I say go for it.  If it doesn't work out you can always hand it back but 18 months is a long time to wait.

[matt80]

I am now the new owner of plot 76! It is in reasonable condition, but about half of it isn't really cultivated and will take quite a bit of work.

I will need to create pathways, preferably covering it with something to make it less muddy. I will also need some wood to edge the beds slightly. Can anyone recommend a good place to source cheap, or even free materials for these purposes?!

[DD.]

Well done Matt,

You'll soon knock half a half plot into shape. It's not as though you can plant it all now. Think of it as a blank canvas to be creative on next year.

[peapod]

Good for you Matt, theres plenty of time to get it shipshape.

For sourcing wood, try freecycle or ask at scaffolding and pallet companies who may help you out

Although some dont agree, my paths are permanent flags concreted in.  Im going to be using my plot for many many years, so I cant see a problem in the forseeable.  If you dont want to do that you cant try weed membrane with bark chippings on top

[Pompey Spud]

Cool.   

I take it half a plot is 5 rods?

[Parsnip]

Great news Matt, I'm glad you took our advice well, the advice from most of us..

I don't know what your site does , but we have various companies that come and dump their unwanted wood for us to use. They get rid of their unwanted wood which clutters up their yards and we get free wood to make things with..

It's left in a pile and is there for anyone, just whoever grabs it first. I have seen some fantastic things being made from big wooden boxes.. little sheds, cold frames and lots of people have used the really long stuff ( I believe it housed pipes) to edge their plots.. etc

I didn't know they did it , until they turned up one day to deliver..I was in clover

Maybe your site does it ?? or you can sweet talk a local company to offload it, it's another option 


Oh I nearly forgot, where's the pics...

[bashful_badger]

Cool.   

I take it half a plot is 5 rods?

Sorry if this sounds dumb but what is 5 rods??  I seem to ask a lot of questions that are quite probably blatantly obvious to anyone that knows what they are doing :O)

[Yorkie]

Someone will doubtless be along with the exact measurements, but traditionally a full size lotty plot was 10 rods, about 300 square yards.

So yes, 5 rods is a half plot 

[Babyshoes]

Our half plot is 5 rods, which we paced out at (very) approximately 5 x 25 metres - it is long and thin. I believe a 'rod' is an area measurement isn't it? So the shape could be different but the area would be the same.

Someone else can do the maths for the area (and conversions into imperial units if you like), it is too late for my brain to work!  :blink:

[bashful_badger]

Oh I see!  And there was me thinking you were talking in code, never guess I'm blonde would you :O)

Just found this on RHS website, in which case my half plot is slightly bigger than it's supposed to be;

Plot sizes are measured in rods, an old Anglo-Saxon unit so-called because it was the length of the rod used to control a team of eight oxen.

A rod is 5.5 yards (5.03 metres).

A chain = 4 rods = 22yd (20.12m) and is the length of a cricket wicket.

A furlong = 10 chains.

A mile = 8 furlongs.

An acre is the area of land that could be ploughed in a day, being a furrow long (furlong)and a chain wide, or 160 square rods.

Allotment plot sizes are usually five or 10 rods. A 10 rod allotment is 10 square rods in area, 10 x 5.5 x 5.5 = 302.5 sq yd (253 sq m).

In metric units, a 10 rod allotment is one fortieth of a hectare: in imperial units it is one sixteenth of an acre.

[SnooziSuzi]

I am now the new owner of plot 76! It is in reasonable condition, but about half of it isn't really cultivated and will take quite a bit of work.

I will need to create pathways, preferably covering it with something to make it less muddy. I will also need some wood to edge the beds slightly. Can anyone recommend a good place to source cheap, or even free materials for these purposes?!

Congrats on taking the plot Matt80 and welcome to the site; I haven't met you yet

I must admit to not reading past the first 9 or 10 posts ( ) cos there was just too much to read through but you will hopefully have realised how great growing your own stuff is, and soon you'll be wondering how you managed with just your garden!

RE sourcing stuff for paths... are there any new developments going up around you at all?  often when old places are coming down and new ones going up (particularly public buildings like community centres, schools, office blocks etc) there are surplus supplies that the contractor might let you have - but don't be surprised if they dont. 

I have managed to source paving stones, unused bricks & breeze blocks etc with just a please and thank you (and maybe a batter of my eyelids  ) from building sites at the end of the job. 

also, when they are pulling places down sometimes there are paving slabs to be taken up that won't be reused; perhaps you could ask for those - just remember that they are extremely bulky and heavy and you may need a mate with a van!

[Remy]

Take it!
We've had a quarter plot since April this year & it's amazing how much we've managed to grow on it. So much so that we have to give some away to friends & family!